bad weather. Computer problems. Lack of staff. Oversold flights. Inflation. Holiday crunches. It has been a difficult task for many air travelers for much of 2022.
And it looks like the year will end as badly as it came with a winter “bomb cyclone” that could make traveling the week before Christmas Day a cold and messy affair. What if you were one of the unlucky passengers caught up in these events?
Here are some tips to help travelers navigate the system when flights are delayed or canceled, whether due to staffing shortages, weather conditions or other issues. Practical advice is highlighted in bold:
Avoid being trapped at the airport
As bad as it may be to find out that your flight has been delayed for a long time, or worse, cancelled, it’s best to find out from the comfort of your home or hotel room and make new arrangements from of the.
“Check your flight status before heading to the airport. Most of these notifications don’t happen at the last minute,” said Scott Keyes, founder of Scott’s Cheap Flights. “Save yourself the trip to the airport.”
SEE ALSO: Airlines issue travel waivers ahead of massive winter weather ‘bomb cyclone’
Keyes told CNN Travel in an interview that you should Sign up for free airline text alerts on the flight status when purchasing your ticket. You also need to download your carrier’s app.
You can also put your airline and flight number directly into a Google search bar to retrieve the status that way. It’s also convenient for friends or family who are willing to pick you up.
Keyes also suggested visit the FlightAware website to track major flight trends across the country.
If you are already at the airport
Sometimes delays and cancellations happen after you arrive at the airport. Once the bad news is announced, what to do?
Keyes told proceed as quickly as possible to the airline agent desk – and get ready to multitask while you’re online.
Fast is a key word here. “It’s going to make a difference who comes first. It’s first come, first served. Positioning yourself close to the desk can pay off,” Keyes said.
Then you might want call your carrier while you wait. depending on your place in line, it may be faster to reach a call center. “Whatever comes first, great,” he said.
Calls to domestic US numbers can have very long waits. Keyes suggested try an international call center for your carrier instead.
“Most US-based travelers don’t think to call the Canadian hotline for Delta. You could reach an agent much faster. They can all handle your reservations the same way.”
You can also use a self-service kiosk, says American Airlines. “Scan your boarding pass or enter your check-in locator to see your updated trip details. From here you can also change flights and print your new boarding passes.”
Attitude and research material
Whether you’re dealing with an agent in person or over the phone, how you approach things can make a big difference. It starts with attitude.
“Honey attracts more flies than vinegar,” Keyes said. “Look at it from the perspective of airline agents. They’ve really been dealing with angry customers since the start of the pandemic. The agent is the one with the most ability to help you.
“Ask nicely and sympathetically is much more likely to get what you want than to be a jerk about it.”
He had another piece of advice when it’s your turn to speak to an agent to make new arrangements:Prepare to offer your own options already. Doing your own research is absolutely helpful.
Your agent can speed things up if you’ve already researched new routes and possible suggestions while you’ve been waiting. Be ready to explain what you want.
If you were booked through Expedia or another third-party site, you will need to process them in the event of a cancellation.
If the price is the same, Keyes suggested you book directly with the airline. If there’s a problem, “it makes things a lot more complicated with multiple sets of policies” when you book through a third party.
US PIRG, a consumer advocacy group, suggests you avoid stopovers when booking if possible. The longer you stop, the more likely something will go wrong.
The group also supports Keyes’ advice to Be nice and polite to agents but also says that consumers should He persisted in trying to solve the solution satisfactorily.
Help from other airlines
Cooperation between airlines could work in your favor.
When flights are cancelled, many airlines have the option of put you on another carrier’s flight because they have interline agreements,” Lousson Smith, product operations specialist at Scott’s Cheap Flights, told CNN Travel in June 2022.
“That means, for example, if Delta experiences service disruptions but American is flying to your destination, you may be able to board that flight.”
“If you choose not to be accommodated on a later flight and book a new ticket out of your own pocket, you are entitled to a cash refund, although this will not help you get where you need to go” , Smith said. “As we all know, last minute flights are very expensive.”
Trapped for the night
What do you do if it looks like you won’t be able to fly until the next day and you’re not in your hometown?
“Ask the airline to accommodate you in a hotel or give you a hotel voucher. They could do it; they might not. It’s not required by law,” Keyes said.
They’re less likely to do so if it’s weather-related, he said, than if the problem is a mechanical issue with the plane or personnel issues.
What you might get depends on the airline itself and the specific circumstances for which a flight was cancelled.
Get to know the policies. For example, Delta Air Lines says it will provide a hotel voucher under certain circumstances if travel is interrupted for more than four hours after the scheduled departure time when the delay is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Whatever you do, at least ask, Keyes says. A voucher for hotels and even ground transportation and meals will probably not just be offered.
In some cases, airlines will offer you accommodations, Smith said, but that’s on a case-by-case basis and never guaranteed.
Also, your credit card could be your friend in this situation.
The good news is that Many credit cards offer travel protections such as reimbursement if a flight cancellation requires you to take a hotel, meals, etc. said Smith. “These travel protections are usually included automatically as long as you have used the card to pay for your flight. Google your credit card and travel protections to see what specific offers your card offers.”
If your flight is delayed instead of being canceled altogether, you may want to weigh whether to wait at the airport. Depending on your personal situation, it may be easier to stay there for five or six hours than to come and go from a hotel. Also, Keyes said, check if there is a hotel in the airport.
The Points Guy advises trying to get into an airport lounge if you can, where you can charge your phone and rest more easily.
Travel insurance and receipts
Consider buying travel insuranceadvises Airport Parking Reservations in an email to CNN Travel.
He said that “most travel insurance policies provide additional coverage for the uncertainty of travel. [coverage] It generally applies if your flight is delayed for more than 12 hours due to a strike, bad weather or mechanical breakdown.
The site also recommends keep all receipts for purchases made at the airport. You can try to get the money back from the airline later.
But stick to the basics. “Airlines only pay for ‘reasonable’ expenses, so you’re unlikely to get money back for things like alcohol, expensive meals or extravagant hotels.”
Refund rights for your flight
The U.S. Department of Transportation says you are entitled to a refund of the cost of your ticket due to cancellation or “significant delay” and you choose not to travel.
This is the policy regardless of the airline’s reason for canceling or delaying the flight. However, what constitutes a “significant delay” remains subject to interpretation.
According to the DOT’s website, “it has not specifically defined what constitutes a ‘significant delay.’ Entitlement to a refund depends on many factors, including the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular situation. The DOT determines on a case-by-case basis whether you are eligible for a refund as a result of a material delay.
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